PRINTABLES Thank the People who Support You

Hello Readers!

November is Caregiver Awareness Month, when we honor the people in our support system. Three years ago, on this blog, @aBodyofHope named November 13th, Caregiver Appreciation Day, otherwise known as Supporter Appreciation Day!

On this day, we can reflect on the ways people around us make life a little bit brighter!

It’s rare to find those who care, even after tragedy strikes. In crisis, our circles tend to thin out, and only the very special remain in our lives, trying to fight along with us.  We try to convey how much we care as often as we can, but words can feel inadequate at times to express what their presence means. A sweet little reminder always helps to drive the point home! 🙂

Your support system may include a friend, your spouse, a family member, a physician, a home care nurse, a neighbor, an online support group, or people from your church. How touched they’ll be when they’re sent this surprise from you!

Consider the small and big ways they bring light into your world. Share one of these specially made images to convey your gratitude.

Because of my personal losses in the last couple years, I didn’t know if I could continue doing this campaign each November. In time however, the people who remained in my life cheering me forward, reminding me of my strength, now appear sweeter and stronger than ever. More than anything, I wish I didn’t need any help at all because giving is simply easier than recieving… It’s such a learning curve, but I try to be more grateful than guilty as much as possible. Any way to inject more kindness and smiles into this world is something I want to fight for. I hope you will help spread the word! 

If you are a caregiver to someone with a chronic or terminal illness, if you’re in the support system of a loved one with mental illness, or if you are supporting someone going through a major crisis, this is a reminder how much you matter. We can’t run away from the hands we’ve been dealt. You might have that choice, yet you’ve chosen to stay and fight along side your loved one. You lend your own emotional, physical, or mental strength at times. Someone like you is so very rare. Thank you for being you!
This collection was created as a collaboration between charcoal artist, CRPS and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome sufferer, Robyn Triscari and myself as a gift to you! Robyn wanted to give the chronic illness community a way to thank our supporters and “champions” so we worked together on this year’s Supporter Appreciation Day! Thank you, Robyn for your generous idea, and for sharing your artistic talents!

To my readers: It’s so meaningful to me that you follow this page, leave such encouraging comments, and share these messages with your friends. I treasure your readership and continue to pray for you. You challenge yourselves to learn all you possibly can from your lives, and your comments continue to challenge me.  You make my world so much brighter, and bigger! I want to thank you on this supporter appreciation day for your impact on my life!

You may save these images to your phone or computer, share them with your loved ones on social media, and we would love for you to print them if you’d like to frame one as a gift or send as a special card.  

We encourage you to include your own personal message of thanks along with it.

 

Image and quote by Robyn Triscari for RSD/CRPS

http.Download You Hold My Heart Image

Cloud Photograph by Marie Hunter

Download Thank you for being a good friend Image

Download No words can express Image

 

Collaboration between Robyn Triscari and abodyofhope

Download Hand in Hand Image

 

Collaboration between Robyn Triscari and abodyofhope

Download Thank you for your part image

 

If you have a “champion” in your life, someone cheering you forward, this is the perfect occasion to say, you’re the best.

We hope you will help us pass on the Caregiver Appreciation Day message!

For your convenience, I have also made these images available to share individually from the Facebook page,  https://www.facebook.com/groups/chronically.inspired  

Please share in comments who you are appreciating today!

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If I Ask You for More: Poem to a Caregiver

Learning the Gift of Gratitude

More poetry, Quotes for Caregivers, and what it means to have a Home Health Aid here

 

This is my first attempt at linking downloadable printables here, so your feedback is appreciated.

Thank Your Caretaker Day

thank you poster

This month is National Caregiver Month; November 13th, thank your supporters, family, nurses, and full-time caregiver.

When we are so focused on survival, pain and illness, we can feel as though we are going this journey alone. But illness always touches those who love us. They are strong for us and wouldn’t want us to know how they are effected by our pain, but it hurts them to see us suffering. Many carers and family members say that they would take on the pain of their loved one if they could. We of course would never want that.

In collecting stories, I tried to get contributions from caregivers; however, none volunteered. When I brought this up to my husband, my own full time carer, he said he understood why:

Him: “No offense, but I wouldn’t want you knowing how all of this has effected me. That’s probably why no one wants to share.”

Me: “You think they would be afraid it would hurt their sick loved one?”

Him: “Some things we have to keep to ourselves. It’s just better for everyone that way.”

Me: “I guess it’s the same reason I haven’t invited you or my family to subscribe to my blog. It’s not that I’m saying hurtful things about you. But I don’t want you knowing more about my pain after seeing it every day.”

So that’s as close as I got to a caregiver contribution. They are in the trenches with us. If we are warriors, then so are they. If our lives have changed without choice, then theirs have as well. The difference is that they can leave and we cannot. But if you still have people around, they have chosen not to leave, they continue to love you through all of this craziness with your health… then tomorrow, November 13th, please join me in saying “thank you!”

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In comments, please let me know how you said thank you to your caregiver and supporters. Post any special message about your caregiver for the world to see. We would love to hear it!